All the Different People

Walking to the church for Catholic Mass once again, and the weather isn't too bad. Its mid-seventies and the sun is high in the sky. Walking into the church and taking my seat, Mass begins the same it does every week. The alter children walk down the aisle in between the pews with the staffs of Jesus on the cross, and the pastor follows.

Over the weeks of my field work, I have been trying to identify a specific cultural group. But, the more and more I continue trying to search for this, the more I realize that there is no defined cultural group that attends the Catholic Mass services that I have been attending.

I have notices that there is so much diversity within the church. This church is not dominated by Caucasians, African-Americans, Chinese, or any other ethnic group you can think of. the reality of it is that there is a little bit of everyone mixed in together. That's the thing about religion, it doesn't mater what your cultural background is, or what the  color of your skin, all is welcome.

Culture is different between all people in the world and Catholics have their own culture that they take pride in. They believe that one should express their religion and culture to others in order to spread and expand their faith. By doing this, they are making people listen to what is it to a a Catholic, and they are taking pride in their culture.

Catholics have specific ways to go about their religion. There are prayers specific to this religion such as praying to the Rosary or saying grace before a meal, and even the way they do things in church. Before my attendance at a Catholic church, kneeling was foreign to me. But now, I have seen how this custom is a part of their culture. As for a Christian church that I have attended throughout my life, there was not custom related to kneeling here. I have been able to see first hand and have come to understand their culture (as in their beliefs, customs, and attitudes). It all comes together and forms a culture that I am not use to. It is taking time but slowly, I am adapting to it. Every time I attend Mass on Sunday's I become more custom to their culture.

I enjoy it for the fact that I am able to explore different practices of religion because I have been raised as a Christian my entire life. It is opening my mind up to consider believing different things that I knew nothing of before. From attending Mass for the past seven weeks or so, I am looking forward to learning more of their culture when I come next week.